A stranded Greenland shark found off the coast of Cornwall died from meningitis, according to a postmortem examination, providing what is believed to be the first evidence of the disease in the species.
The 4-metre long shark, thought to be about 100 years old, was first discovered by a dog walker on 13 March on a beach near Penzance but was washed back into the sea before it could be properly examined. After a two-day search it was discovered floating in the water off Newlyn harbour beach by a tourist boat and a postmortem was carried out.
